Senegalese Music at cdRoots

The music of Senegal

cd cover Africando
Live! (2 CD set)
18.99
The Afro-Latin dynamo returns with a live set of great tunes, and nicely priced, at that. Opiyo Oloya said in RootsWorld that these musicians, "break through musical borders and open the floodgates of joy, allowing everyone to feel, breath and live the music."
Listen to some short samples, courtesy of Stern's Music.

Ass, Mass and Pap - Djanbutu Thiossane - 15.99
Senegalese trio of singers Ass, Mass and Pap N'Diaye with a small ensemble

Sarabah: Tales from the Flipside of Paradise - Sister Fa - 19.99
Senegal's 'Queen of hip-hop.' For a woman to break through in an almost exclusively male field within a male-dominated society was a long, hard journey. Struggle breeds compassion, and Sister Fa uses her international album debut to speak out against the injustices rampant in her native country. Warm and unmistakably African, her raps, in Wolof, Manding, Jola and French, roll elegantly over beats as well as traditional sounds (kora and djembe), delivering tracks far removed from rap clichés, and more influenced by 80s old school hip-hop than current rap trends.

La Belle Epoque (2 CDs) - Orchestra Baobab - 25.99
A two-CD compilation of early Orchestra Baobab recordings, most of which have never before been available in this country in any format. They were recorded in Dakar between 1971 and 1977 - years when Orchestra Baobab was the most popular band in Senegal. In addition to some of the musicians who still perform with Baobab, such as guitarist Barthélemy Atisso, saxophonist Issa Cissoko and singer Rudy Gomis, these recordings feature two singers who became internationally famous after leaving Baobab: Medoune Diallo of Africando and Thione Seck of Orientation. Listen

No. III de Number 1 - Number 1 de Dakar - 19.99
They went under a lot of variants of the name: Starband de Dakar, Orchestra No. 1, Star Number One, and Starband du Senegal to name a few, and they always delivered number one, A-class music, steeped in Cuban and Latin influences, and always 'just right.' This is a collection of their more obscure recordings (and none are on the more familiar Dakar Sound releases).

Diam - Ablaye Cissoko - 9.99
music for the kora by Senegalese player

Senegal 70: Musical Effervesence - various (African Pearls) - 24.99
2 CD set: fourteen artists including Star Band de Dakar, Étoile de Dakar (with Youssou N’Dour), Star Number One, Orchestra Baobab and many others Listen

Cissokho System - Cissokho System - 17.99
West African roots meet Norwegian jazz and popular music in a vibrant take on the mbalax style. Led by the inimitible kora wizard Solo Cissokho

Bamba - Orchestra Baobab - 17.99
The most sultry, unbelievably voluptuous band in Africa in the seventies had to be Baobab. With swirling guitars that sound like they are buried in layers of honey, saxophones as sweet, and a rhythm section that just never lets up, this Senegalese crew made a series of recordings in the late seventies and early eighties that have become something of a legend.

N'Wolof - Baobab - 17.99
classic sounds from Senegal

Dakar Sound sampler 1 - various Artists - 14.99
A collection of tracks from the Dakar Sound sereis, including Horoya Band, Madiop Seck, Sekou Diabate, Etoile 3000, Number One, Baobab. 13 tracks.

Dakar Sound sampler 2 - various Artists - 14.99
A collection of tracks from the Dakar Sound sereis, inculding Dexter Johnson, Superstar de Dakar, Tondo, El Hadj Faye, Mac Group. 14 tracks, three never before released

Diarabi Donkili - Les Soeurs Diabate - 17.99

Alliance - Afrissippi - 13.99
The second round for this allianceof Senegalese roots and Mississippi blues, and every bit as solid as the first. Guelel Kumba - guitar, vocals, Eric Deaton - electric guitar, Kinney Kimbrough - drums, Justin Showah - bass, Papa Assane M'baye - percussion, Jeff Callaway - trombones Listen

N'der Fouta Tooro Vol. 2 - Seck, Mansour - 17.99
The legendary guitarist of Dande Lenol occasionally steps out on his own, and this recording (along with Volume 1) is one of the best guitar recordings to come out of the region. Direct and untainted by technology (save for some electric bass), musician and singer Seck is joined by guitars, hoddu, kora (the late, great Kaouding Cissoko), ngoni and percussion, and the guest vocalist Ousmane Hamady Diop on this second of the series of deep roots from Senegal.

Djamano - Laye Sow - 19.99
OK, it has been done before, and done well, so why should you listen to another Malian-blues collaboration? Perhaps because this one really works well, because the players are excellent, no one tries to steal the show, and the songs are always the primary focus of this collaboration between Senegalese singer and guitarist Laye Sow and American guitarist Richard Caswell and American bass/percussionist Steve Marshall. No flash, no funk, no pyrotecnic displays of gadgetry and wizardry, just some musicians getting together to share their roots and diversity.

Martina - Africando - 12.99
Yes, they are back again and their 2003 release show why they are ever the quintessential Afro-Latin connection.

Fulani Journey - Afrissippi - 15.99
Things like this are just too irresistible: a Senegalese musician moves to Oxford Mississippi, meets up with some local blues talent and before you know it, a new band is born. Guitarist Guelel Kumba is joined by Eric Deaton (of the RL Burnside Band) and local legends, The Taylor Grocery Band, with a special bonus video that includes a guest appearance by the MC5 legend, John Sinclair. highly recommended

The Teranga Spirit (2 CDs) - VA/ African Pearls 4 - 22.99
The Star Band and Orchestre Baobab, of course, but also Labah Sosseh, Thione Seck, Ifang Bondi, Xalam and many other creators of modern Senegalese music.

Lamp Fall - Cheikh Lo - 14.99
2006 release by the Senegalese guitarist, singer and songwriter

No. 1 De No. 1 - Star Band No. 1 - 18.99
Star Band and Number One de Dakar were the main rivals to Orchestre Baobab in the 1970s, and the breeding gound for some of Senegal's greatest legends. Their basic Cuban groove is overlayed with some wicked electric guitar work. All three volumes of their recordings in the catalog come highly recomended

Ketukuba - Africando - 16.99
The 2006 release by this now seminal Afro-Cuban band is a tribute to the late Gnonnas Pedro, Benin's favorite son, who sang with the band from 1996 until his death in 2004. The title song, 'Ketukuba' was his last recording.

Orientation: Egypt, India, Senegal - Thione Seck - 17.99
At the same time that Youssou N'Dour was formulating his Egypt project, former Star Band de Dakar and Orchestra Baobab star Thione Seck was creating an even more adventurous exploration of the relationship between south and east, Orientation. Recorded between 1999 and 2002, and produced by Ibrahima Sylla and François Breant, more than 40 Egyptian, Indian, French and Senegalese musicians were involved in this project. HIGHLY recommended!

Koulikoro - Sekou Kouyate - 17.99
I wrote this when the CD was published in the 1990s: "If you want African pop music, it doesn't get better than this disc... this recording is expansive and hypnotic in its use of music new and old. This album includes lush, full throttle pop sounds, rife with swirling layers of electric guitars and soaked in reverb and synths. These show off the rock guitar style that Kouyate incorporates into the melodies of Mali. At the other end of the spectrum is the equally charged acoustic sound he can develop on songs like 'Tikenou.' Here the voices and ngoni are up-front and clean in a call and response that can be mesmerizing. The bulk of the music on Koulikoro is decidedly on the pop side, but it is intelligent, multi-faceted and expertly played."

Kalaman N'gone / Dozon N'goni - Alan Fane's Fote Mocoba - 17.99
The Rough Guide writes: "Acoustic trio led by the late Super Djata Band vocalist, exploring hunters' rhythms of the Bamana and Wassoulou... Buzzing harp, spiralling balafon and singing that makes you jump out of your seat. Wild and compelling stuff."

Africa Yewul - Magou and Dakar Transit - 18.99
In his songs, some of which are like hymns, the Senegalese singer praises Africa, appeals to his compatriots to have more self-esteem, demands debt relief, makes fun of womanizers in Dakar and celebrates his country's soccer team, accompanied by his group Dakar Transit, which features guitarist Baye Diop, percussionists Dr. Ada and Samson Gassama, Badou Sene on the talking drum and Tata Dindin on kora.

Introducing Daby Balde - Daby Balde - 15.99
Subtitled "Senegalese star on the rise' and a lively exploration of the Fula tradition by a musician who, as the title implies, ought to be better known. A great acoustic sound is played out on fiddle, accordion, flute, kora percussion and acoustic guitar.

Golden Afrique Vol. 1 - Various - 42.99
In the 1970s and early 1980s, the popular music scene in Africa exploded with new ideas of merging ancient culture with contemporary ideas and tools. This first volume in the series includes artists from Guinea , Mali , Guinea-Bissao , Gambia , Ivory Coast , Chad and Senegal – many of the tracks are available on CD for the very first time. Artists include Youssou N'Dour, Salif Keita, Baobab de Dakar, Bembeya Jazz National, Super Eagles, Amazones de Guinea, Miriam Makeba, Super Mama Djombo, Maitre Gazonga along with a host of artists you may never have heard of before. Double CD with informative book includes 24 full tracks and 2 and a half hours of music.

Mandinka Drum Master - Mamadou Ly - 16.99
Tabala Wolof is the ritual drum music of a West African Sufi order, the Qadiriya of Senegal. Led by a bass drum during night time worship, the Qadiriya play interlocking rhythms on tuned drums to inspire ecstatic singing.

A Land of Drummers - Various African Drummers - 14.99
Village Pulse (VP) senegal africa drumming sabar wolof djembe

Akom: The art of possession - Akan music from Ghana - 16.99
Ly is the lead drummer and a founder of the Ballet National de Senegal. While spectators take turns dancing, Mandinka drummers develop melodic conversations on three tuned drums. The drummers' interlocking rhythms combine to create music with a high-energy dance beat.

Kairaba Jabi - Dembo Konte and Kausu Kuyateh - 15.99
Gambia's Dembo Konte and Senegal's Kausu Kuyateh have been acclaimed throughout the world for their approach to the traditional kora music of west Africa. 76+ minutes of the best, some on CD for the first time.

Jali Roll +1 - Dembo Konte, Kausu Kuyateh and The Jali Roll Orchestra - 15.99
Gambia's Dembo Konte and Senegal's Kausu Kuyateh are joined by various Mustaphas and friends for a roaring experiment in Brit roots and west African soul. Completely unique stuff!

Geej - El Hadj N'Diaye - 18.99
Songlines describes this Senegalese singer's work as having a "gripping blend of haunting melodies, floating guitars and inspired lyrics." El Hadj brings together far-flung strands of Senegalese tradition and identity in an unique musical career. His songs are informed by a deep knowledge of and compassion for those who are suffering and neglected in Africa, and he writes with a literary flair born of his own experience as an author and actor. From its most tender whisper to its most anguished gut cry, the voice of El Hadj is a marvel. This is mostly a gentle acoustic album, a subtle but powerful letter from Senegal to the world. Highly recommended.

Embouteillage - Super Cayor De Dakar - 18.99
super Cayor de Dakar's 2001 release features the tenorsaxophone of maestro Issa Cissokho (ex- bandleader of Orchestra Baobab). On top of the 6 songs on the original Senegalese cassette you can hear two live recordings of the band.

Desert Blues -- Ambiances du Sahara - Various artists - 39.99
a journey through the rich traditions of ballads from the Sahara, the Sahel and neighbouring African regions. Artists include Baaba Maal, Youssou N'Dour, Abou Djouba, Ali Farka Toure with Ry Cooder and Taj Mahal, Oumou Sangare, Sali Sidibe, Hassan Hakmoun, Dimi Mint Abba, Tata Dindin, Kante Manfila, Abdel Gadir Salim, Hamza El Din, Aster Aweke and Mahmoud Ahmed.

Thiaroye - El Hadj N'Diaye - 17.99
Senegalese guitarist, with Alain Renaud (guitars, bass) and Sydney Thiam (persuccion)

Vol 1: Trovador - Africando - 17.99
The first recording by this African-Latin fusion supergroup

Tierra Tradicional - Africando - 17.99
The second recording by this African-Latin fusion supergroup

The Music in My Head 2: Guitars are from Mars, balafons are from Venus - Various African artists - 17.99
Classics, hits and unknown wonders from oft-mentioned 'the golden age of African music' from the late seventies into the early nineties, when bands like Etoile De Dakar and singers like Youssou N'Dour still ruled the African music scene, when groove was god. This set includes major artists like N'Dour and the Etolies, Thione Seck, The Rail Band and Baobab, but more important, some of the less- published but important artists of the time like Kelitigui et ses Tambourins, Aminata Fall and Balla et ses Balladins.

Diawar - Lo, Ismael - 13.99
Selections from three albums the one-of-a-kind songwriter and singer made in the 1980s

Le Grande Bal a Bercy - Youssou N'dour - 18.99
africa, senegal, mbalax, ndour, yusou,yousou,west africa

N'der Fouta Tooro Vol. 1 - Seck, Mansour - 17.99
The legendary guitarist of Dande Lenol, direct and untainted by technology (save for some electric bass), musician and singer Seck is joined by guitars, hoddu, kora, ngoni and percussion, and the guest vocalists Baaba Maal and Ousmane Hamady Diop on this set of deep roots from Senegal.

Hoga - Sidi Toure - 17.99
Songs recount Songhai Empire history as the weirdly sympathetic strains of an archaic Songhai viol and bluesy overdriven electric guitar swirl around it. This is a truly unque musician, with a sound all his own.

Dabah - Ismael Lo - 17.99
2000 recordings (the first new ones since 1994) by one of Senegal's most inspired folk and pop singers

The Balladeer: Best of - Ismael Lo - 17.99
includes tracks from some of his best and earliest recordings, including Xiif, Natt, Diawar, and Iso.

Senegal - The Saoruba from Casamance - various - special order
Recordings from the Musee d'ethnographie in Geneva's 'Archives internationales de musiques populaire' See the complete series.

Djef Djel - Ale Moller Band - temp out of stock-17.99
Nothing that has ever come from the hands of Ale Möller has been anything less than brilliant, in my opinion, and this one continues his exploration of the Swedish ethos in the global continuum. This time around, it is just the band, a now well-seasoned sextet of musicians from all over the planet, in sync with each other's ideas and exploring new applications of their roots in Sweden, Greece,Mexico, Canada and Senegal.

Dakar - Bagad Men Ha Tan and Doudou N'diaye Rose - temp out of stock-16.99
The ensemble writes of thsi work: The music of « Doue Lann » was the framework for the encounter between the Bagad and the Senegalese percussionists of drum-master Doudou N'Diaye Rose. That show traveled throughout France in May and June 1998 and was an immense success. The encounter couldn't stop there. Doudou N'Diaye Rose indeed wished to record this astonishing cross-cultural mix..."

Abaraka! / Tack! - Ellika and Solo - temp out of stock-17.99
Abaraká!/Tack! - Thank you, indeed, Ellika and Solo for another marvelous recording of new music from many roots. Senegalese kora master Solo Cissokho and Swedish fiddler extraordinaire Ellika Frissell forged a beautiful hybrid with their 2002 release, and here they expand beyond the duo setting to add percussion, vocals and other instruments like banjo and bass, with special appearances by American fiddler Bruce Molsky, sumblime Senegalese vocalists Adama Cissokho and Binta Suso and percussionist Seckou Keita (all three relatives of Solo). The ensemble works shed new light on the duos vision, but there are still plenty of the kora/fiddle duets that make this team so essential. It's all damned near perfect.

los afro salseros de senegal en la habana - Los Afro Salseros - temp out of stock-18.99
In April 2001 a group of Senegalese salseros went to Cuba to record at Havana's legendary Studio Egrem. This CD presents the singers Labah Sosseh, Pape Fall, James Gadiaga and Mar Seck, accompanied by musicians selected from Dakar's leading salsa orchestras. Arranger Yakhya Fall, ex-bandleader and guitarist of Number One de Dakar, leads the ensemble. There is no keyboard, there is no drum kit, but there are two trumpets, Issa Cissokho's sax, lots of percussion and a grand piano in a beautiful 'Dakar tuning.'

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